Kent Radio Gets Heart, Loses Invicta

One station’s stream I used to really enjoy listening to here in Australia’s later afternoons was Kent (Whitstable), UK based ‘Invicta-FM’.

‘James and Gemma’  presented a funny show that clearly was a great way to start your day in the UK – but  a terrific way to start putting daylight hours to bed here.

That was until there was a block on streaming outside the UK.

Sadness…!

Anyway, I’m not writing this post to talk up Invicta FM nor whinge about the block on UK streaming (mind you, the latter might be fodder for a later post).

Rather, it’s to report on news today I learned from yourthanet.co.uk that as from Monday, 22 June, Invicta FM becomes ‘Heart FM’.    Of course, an announcement about this issue had been made months ago. It’s all to do with ’streamlining’ as part of the nation-wide ‘Heart’ radio network of stations.

It means listeners will now hear several nationally syndicated shows on air from the likes of Emma Bunting and Jason Donovan.

Not everyone’s happy.

According to the report in yourthanet.co.uk, Roger Day, the orginal programme controller and presenter – now with BBC Radio Kent says, “I think the rebrand is appalling, it’s throwing away any idea of local radio. Where’s the individualism in that?”

 I stopped enjoying my time on commercial radio by the time I left. The research groups and the accountants became too involved. It lost its surprise element and stopped being local.”

Full story here at yourthanet.co.uk.